A Pawn for Malice

by Cynthia Roberts

  Hal raised an eyebrow and smiled.

  “Oh! Don’t be so smug,” she spewed. “The whores didn’t bother me. I was glad he sated his sadistic hungers elsewhere.”

  “He wouldn’t have looked elsewhere, if he got what was expected of you …”

  “You son of a bitch,” she interrupted, as she lifted the edge of her towel to expose her upper thigh. “This is what he liked,” she pointed with the scissors still in her hand. “Recognize them, Hal? Cigarette burns. Do you do that to those high-priced whores you bed? Did he learn that from you too?”

  She was surprised by the horrified look on his face. She let the towel drop back into place and crossed her arms over her chest.

  “I may have pulled the trigger, but you’re the one, who killed him. You pampered and nurtured him to expect those less fortunate than him cater to his every whim. He drowned himself in alcohol, because he wanted to be like you. He had affairs with your leftovers. He was your carbon copy,” she shook her head with a disgusted laugh. “The pitiful thing is, it made him a weak, ugly, vile little man just like you. I am so done. I don’t need you, or this house,” she waved. “Now get the hell out!”

  Hal snickered. “What makes you think you’ve got a choice? You’re still a Wilton, sweetheart.”

  “Don’t threaten me, old man.”

  Hal pounced forward and Jessica swiped the scissors upward, grazing his left cheek and drawing blood. He fell backwards and growled between clenched teeth, as he glared at the scissors still held between her hands, threatening contact again. He wiped away the blood running down his cheek with the back of his hand, then raised his palms in compliance, as if to calm her.

  “Oh please. When are, you going to realize, I have a more positive force in my life ... the Newcombe Empire. That, is my inheritance. I don’t need you and despise everything you stand for.”

  The corner of her mouth lifted victoriously, as she watched the color drain from his face. She had struck a chord, a wonderfully, splendorous chord.

  “I know that’s why you sought out my grandmother … for a contract of marriage with your son. Did you really expect to control me, to gain access to my inheritance one day? Guess again.”

  The look of contempt he sent her confirmed her suspicions all along. Now she was more than certain, why he wanted her to stay on in Wilton, so he could control the empire her Aunt Florence would one day will to her.

  “I’m bored with this little exchange,” she waved. “I told you to leave, and I won’t tell you again.” She didn’t want him privy to her plans to flee. “When my Aunt returns from Europe in a couple of weeks, I’m out of here.”

  She hoped she sounded convincing enough. She could not tell from the look on his face whether, or not, he believed her.

  Hal scrunched his lips and nodded. “You’re not the little mouse I thought my son married. I quite like that in you. Makes you more appealing … more worthy of the challenge.”

  More like prized game to be hunted and caged, she thought.

  She knew he would not allow for her to leave. She could already see the wheels turning in his sick, depraved mind. She knew she had to move fast, and that meant now.

  “I like a little adventure.” He toyed, closing the distance between them.

  She was trapped. She could feel the sheen of sweat on her skin and her pulse beating in her ears, as her heart pounded furiously in her chest. No matter where she moved, she could not get away. She held the scissors tightly in front of her, and ready to plunge the sharp sheers into his belly, if need be. Just when she expected him to pounce, he plopped down upon the edge of the bed and leaned back on his elbows.

  “Look. I’m a fair man. I’ll make it worth your while to stick around until I tire of you.”

  Her jaw dropped open and she just as quickly closed it. This man was relentless. The gall of him. To think he was that powerful to assume, whatever he offered, was worthy of considering and accepting.

  “If it gets you the hell out of my house, yes, I’ll bite,” she cow-towed.

  He laughed and she knew he thought he won at wearing her down.

  Let him think whatever he wants, she thought.

  He clapped his hands and rose. “Now, that’s more like it. I’ll send a car tomorrow … dinner … 7 p.m. Wear something … alluring. Go to Mitzy’s on Main and charge my account. I’m confident we can come to something amicable.”

  He moved toward the door, stopped and turned. “I wouldn’t think of leaving, Jessica. You know how I get, when I’m disappointed.”

  Jessica sent him a smug smile. She could only imagine what his reaction would be, once he found her gone. She also would not put it past him to have a “watch” placed on her house. When Hal wanted something … someone, he went to great lengths to accomplish that goal, no matter who got hurt in the process, or stood in his way. She knew she could not wait until the next day to leave. Escaping now was paramount.

  CHAPTER THREE

  There was an unexplainable sense of unease that washed over Jessica, as she decided her next course of action. She did not know what it was, but she knew whatever it was, it was not good. She quickly moved to the bedroom window. It was no longer raining, and then, out of the corner of her eye, she detected movement.

  There, in the shadows across the street, she saw a shadow, a figure of … a man. She focused her gaze more intently on the huge elm tree, and there it was, a large, black mass that did not belong there. And, she knew. She was being watched. Her temper flared and her pulse quickened. She spread the curtains opened wide and looked in the opposite direction instead for a few brief moments, trying not to give her discovery away.

  “Of all the nerve,” she sputtered and slowly drew the shade all the way down. “He never ceases to amaze me.”

  She threw off her robe, threw on her sweats, and ran down the hallway toward the stairs. When she got to the kitchen, she went down on all fours and crawled to the back. Slowly, she rose to peer carefully out the bow window. She took her time scanning the area, looking for something out of place, another shadowy figure hiding in the darkness, and could not see anything out of the ordinary. She exhaled deeply her relief. She didn’t want to take any chances, slid back down to the floor, and thought briefly what her next plan of action should be.

  She rose and walked to the wall phone, removed it from the receiver, and stopped in mid-air. If Hal had a key to her house, she would not have put it past him to have her house phone tapped as well. She had no other option. She could not wait until morning to leave for the airport. She had to get out of town now.

  She quickly exited the kitchen and went back to her bedroom to use her cell phone and dialed the local taxi service.

  After she gave a fictitious name, the dispatcher assured her a driver would pick her up in twenty minutes out in front of the local variety store, which was only a block away. She gazed at the alarm clock on the night stand beside her bed. It was almost nine. She hated the thought of sitting up all night at the airport, but it was clearly better than being spotted leaving in the light of day tomorrow.

  Jessica hastened to prepare for her escape. She did not pack any of her belongings as planned, decided to dress herself entirely in black, pulled her hair up into a ponytail to let it dry naturally, drew the strap of her purse over her neck, and headed for the stairs.

  Jessica managed to slip from the house through the back yard without being spotted. Quietly, she crossed her neighbor’s yard and the next one over as well. Once she turned the corner onto Dover Court, she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She could see the yellow taxi traveling towards her and pull up to the curb beside the Wilton Country Store. Her heart thundered in her chest and she prayed the driver had the good sense to wait.

  She was about to scream and flail her arms wildly to draw his attention until she noticed, Mr. Peterson, the elderly store manager exiting the store, and locking it up for the night. His eyes twinkled happily, as he peered over the rim of his wire spectacles, whe
n she approached.

  “How are you, young lady,” he asked kindly, reaching out to tenderly pat the side of her arm. “I was so sorry to hear what happened to you dear and apologize for not attending the services,” he admitted embarrassingly. “Mr. Wilton wouldn’t let me close the store, you see and …”

  Jessica shook her head in reply. “No. No. Please. I truly understand,” she leaned in and placed a soft kiss upon his wrinkled cheek.

  Someone touched her shoulder from behind making her jump and said, “Going somewhere Mrs. Wilton?”

  She could feel the color drain from her face and her heart skip a beat or two in fear of being found out.

  “Land sakes, child! What’s wrong? You’re plum white!” Mr. Peterson asked, as he wrapped a protective arm about her shoulder with fatherly concern.

  She slowly turned to face the person behind her and nearly fainted, when she realized it was not who she expected it might be, but rather, Mr. Hingle, the mailman.

  The postman exclaimed with the deepest concern, “I truly am sorry, Mrs. Wilton! I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  Jessica emitted a nervous laugh. “I guess I’m a little jittery. It’s been a long, tiring day.”

  The gentleman nodded in agreement. “Well, no wonder, after what you’ve been through these past few days. May I walk you home? You sure are trembling a might.”

  Jessica raised her hands in protest and smiled. “No, no I’m fine. As a matter of fact, this is my taxi. Thank you though. I’m fine, really.” She reached out and rubbed Mr. Peterson’s arm lightly and smiled. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m running late already and must be going.”

  Once she relaxed in the comfort of the taxi, she reflected on the numerous times the endearing manager had shown her kindness, when no one else would. Most of the inhabitants of Wilton lived in fear of her father-in-law. Their smiles never reached their eyes, accept for the dear elderly manager. She used to love listening to his stories about Maine, especially since he was the state’s historian for nearly four decades.

  She always loved Maine. It was a popular vacation spot when she was a child. That was then. The memories that haunted her dreams now left an entirely different lasting impression.

  ***

  Jessica was greeted by Captain McKenzie the moment she boarded her Aunt’s private Gulfstream. It was a magnificent performance machine that exuded both excellence and grace.

  He stood proudly before the cockpit and she quickly glimpsed inside and felt wowed by the complex and cutting-edge controls and side-mounted displays that would be at the Captain’s and co-pilot’s fingertips. His warm welcoming smile made her feel instantly safe and she was more anxious than ever to get into the air.

  He tipped his cap and bowed slightly and welcomed her. “Good morning to you, Mrs. Wilton …”

  “Jessica, please,” she interrupted, as she accepted the hand he extended.

  He nodded and continued as he released his grasp, “Jessica … welcome aboard. We’re ready for takeoff, so please, make yourself comfortable. As soon as we level off, our hostess Allison,” he pointed to a sweet, petite female entering from the aft section of the cabin, “will make sure your trip is a pleasurable one as well.”

  Allison extended her hand in welcome and smiled warmly. “It’ll be my pleasure to serve you, Jessica.” She turned and extended her arm, “please sit wherever you’d like, and as soon as we reach the proper altitude, I’ll be serving a light breakfast.”

  Jessica moved forward and could not help, but be both impressed and awed by the opulence of the cabin. It was approximately eight feet long and could comfortably sit about eighteen passengers. Allison let her know the cabin offered high-speed connectivity with a broadband multilink data system, wireless networking, onboard printing, and phone service should she need it.

  The interior was decorated in soft earth tones with double-wide beige seats and couches made from the finest Italian leather and slick mahogany tables and sideboards. The technology provided touch-screen capability to control the cabin’s temperature, lighting, window shades and varied entertainment options.

  Huge oval-shaped windows were positioned higher on the fuselage to offer a panoramic view of the outside. Allison pushed a button embedded in the top right side of a long cabinet, that separated the cabin from the galley.

  Jessica watched as a huge flat screen rose from inside the cabinet and slowly shook her head in amazement.

  She settled into one of the wide single seats mid-way down the aisle and buckled herself in. She could hear Allison inform the Captain they were clear for takeoff. The engines immediately revved. The wheels slowly rolled the jet back out of its ramp, maneuvering onto the taxiway, and they were third in line for takeoff.

  She felt as though a thousand pounds had been lifted from her shoulders. She got away, she smiled triumphantly. She was finally free. Despite the euphoria she felt accomplishing the feat, she still could not help, but feel remorse for her part in Richard’s death. It bothered her terribly, regardless of the abuse and humiliation she was forced to endure. She knew her actions were justified. She knew she was a decent person. She knew she tried with all her might to salvage her marriage and beg Richard to get help.

  But, she also knew in her heart, that Richard would have killed her that night, if she had not defended herself. Her eyes filled with tears, as she reflected on all the painful memories that would hold her hostage for quite some time. And the greatest loss most of all, was the child Richard took from her.

  Her hand absently reached for her mid-section, as she gazed mindlessly out the window and slowly massaged the area, that once cocooned the babe she lost almost six months ago. There was nothing she could do then, despite her efforts to shield herself and safeguard the baby from his brutal attack. Tears streamed from her eyes, as she remembered the anguish and pain she bore and would haunt her for the rest of her life.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  The moment the wheels touched down on the runway, Jessica felt safe for the first time in what seemed forever. She could not wait to see her Aunt and get on with her new life. Once the plane neared its private hangar, she released the seat belt and noticed a shiny, black town car was parked to the side. Her Aunt’s chauffeur, Martin, exited the car and opened the back door. Jessica’s eyes filled with tears, when her Aunt exited the vehicle and turned her gaze toward the plane.

  Her Aunt’s broad smile sent a feeling of calmness to wash over her, and Jessica waved excitedly from the window. The hostess, Allison, let Jessica know she was clear to disembark the plane and Jessica popped out of her seat quickly. Patiently, she waited for Allison to unlock the cabin door. Jessica thanked the captain and hostess graciously, stepped over the threshold, and immediately descended the steps.

  She watched as her Aunt walked briskly forward to greet her, and Jessica quickened her steps to close the gap between them. It was an emotional reunion, as they both broke into tears and wrapped their arms tightly about each other, plying each other’s cheeks with tender kisses, and speaking words of endearment.

  Her Aunt held her at arm’s length and looked her over with a critical eye.

  “You look ghastly, dear. Whatever have they done to you?” Her Aunt looked behind her and her gaze was puzzled. “No luggage?”

  Jessica shook her head. “No, none … just what you see here,” she lifted the purse from her shoulder and pointed to her clothing. “I was being watched and had to move quickly.”

  Florence sent her a look that made her gulp.

  “Did he threaten you, that bastard?”

  Jessica sighed deeply. “That, and more.” She looped her arm through her Aunt’s and directed her toward the town car. “I’ll fill you in on the way, okay?”

  She focused her attention on Martin and extended her hand in greeting.

  “Hello, Martin. It’s good to see you again.”

  He was ever-so gracious as he bowed respectfully, before taking her hand tenderly between his big, brawny ones, speaking sof
tly.

  “Tis very good to see you too, Miss Jessie, and welcome home. It’ll be a pleasure serving you once again.”

  A tender smile crossed her lips as she replied. “Martin, you’re a dear and the feeling is mutual I assure you. Will you go riding with me again?” She winked playfully. She knew from his reaction that her question pleased him. “I’m serious, Martin. I won’t ride with anyone, but you.”

  There was a sentimental softness that shone in his eyes, as he smiled warmly and planted a fatherly kiss upon her brow. “I’m touched and would love nothing more.” He stepped toward the back door and opened it for them to enter, closed it, when they were both seated comfortably inside, and moved to the driver side, entering.

  Just as the town car pulled away, her Aunt turned to her with a look of determination planted upon her face. Jessica knew what she was going to ask before the words slipped from her Aunt’s lips. She knew that Florence would be livid, but for her own safety, Jessica knew it would not be wise to hold anything back. She lifted her hand to forestall her Aunt’s words and inhaled deeply before she began to tell her about Hal and his offer.

  -----

  “He what?” Her Aunt bellowed. “How dare he imply that you … that a Rochelle take to his bed like a paid whore! Did he touch you … force you? You must tell me, Jessica.”

  Jessica shook her head in the negative, and her Aunt continued her rave.

  “His day will come, dear. That, I promise you. He will sorely pay. But, we will have that conversation some other time. I’m sure you must be famished and can’t wait to soak in a nice hot bath.”

  “Yes, I am and would love nothing more,” she replied.